Three RiversHudson~Mohawk~SchoharieHistory From America's Most Famous Valleys

The
Campaign of Lieut. Gen. John Burgoyneand The Expedition of Lieut. Col. Barry St. Leger.by William L. Stone.Albany, NY, Joel Munsell. 1877.

No.
IX.

JANE
McCREA AND SKETCH OF FORT EDWARD.

Fort
Edward, a short distance from which the death of Jane McCrea took place, has
an important place in American history. In colonial times it was a central
point of interest both to the whites and Indians. In the wars of Queen Anne,
the Old French, and Seven Years War, both sides were equally anxious to possess
it, and, in consequence, many thrilling adventures occurred in its vicinity.

The
first white man, says Sir William Johnson, who settled in the town, was Colonel
John Henry Lydius son of a Dutch minister of Albany. Lydius was a man of extensive
acquaintance with the Indians, having resided much among them, in Canada for
several years where he married, and again at Lake George. He erected several
mills on an island opposite the present village ; and hence the names the
place long went by - Lydius's Mills. His daughter Catherine Lydius was the
first white child born in Washington Co. The street in the village of Fort
Edward, now Broadway, was formerly called Lydius after the founder. Col. Lydius
carried on an extensive trade with the Indians at this point for several years.
He was, however, extremely unpopular with these people, who justly accused
him of having, on various occasions, cheated them in land transactions. This
feeling on the part of the Indians, at length culminated 1749, in which year
they burned his house on the island and took his son prisoner.

Old
Fort Edward stood on the east bank of the Hudson, a few rods below the present
rail road bridge. Nothing now remains of it except, as in the case of Fort
Hardy, a few slight mounds, where were the earth works, and the broken bricks
and pottery which are mixed plentifully with the soil. At the best, it consisted
only of a square fortified by two bastions on the east side, and by two demi-bastions
on the side toward the river. It was built in 1700, by the-English, for the
protection of the northern frontier, and was called Fort Nicholson, after
Col. Nicholson. After the failure, however, of that officer's remarkable though
entirely abortive, expedition for the subjugation of Canada-an expedition
the organization of which cost the colonies and that of New York in particular
a vast amount of money-the fort was abandoned and allowed to go to decay.

In
1755, the English, under General, and afterward Sir William Johnson, made
a forward movement toward Canada. As one of the preliminary steps to this
expedition General Phineas Lyman, with 600 men was sent forward to the site
of Fort Lydius in the beginning of August of that year, to rebuild the fort.
The site of the old fortification was abandoned, because it was too much commanded,
and a large redoubt, with a simple parapet and a wretched palisade, was built
on a more elevated spot not far distant. Within were small barracks for 200
men. The ramparts of earth and timber were sixteen feet high and twenty-two
feet thick, and mounted six cannon. On the island opposite, were also barracks
and store-houses. It received the name of Fort Lyman, and until after the
surrender of the British army at Saratoga. 1

While
Burgoyne lay at Fort Miller, it was occupied a portion of the time by General
Riedesel with his Brunswickers. While here Riedesel buried two large bateaux
inside of the fort for the benefit of Col. St. Leger in case the latter should
retreat by way of this place,-marking the spot by two crosses to give the
appearance of two graves. St. Leger, however, fell back on Oswego; and the
bateaux were afterward found by the Americans [see Life of Reidesel and Gordon].
Reidesel was also quartered for three weeks on the garrison ground at Fort

1
It was while Schuyler lay at Fort Edward, before he fell back, that he resorted
to a trick or expedient to delay Burgoyne's march.

"Frederick
the Great, after Liegnizt, 16th August, 1760,caused a letter or despatch to
fall into the hands of the Russian General Chernicheff, which induced the
Muscovite, with every chance of success before him, to retire precipitately.
In Schuyler's case he likewise by astuteness, turned the tables on his enemy.
A communication had been sent by one Mr. Levins, from Canada, to Gen. Sullivan.
It was concealed under the false bottom of a canteen. Schuyler substituted
an answer worded in such a manner that if it reached Burgoyne it would cause
him the greatest perplexity. Its purport he confided to certain parties around
him, and then sent it forward by a messenger who was to conduct himself so
as to be captured. The bearer was taken prisoner, and the paper which he bore
was soon placed in the hands of Burgoyne. This had greater effect than even
Schuyler could have expected. Stedman, the British staff officer and historian,
acknowledged that Burgoyne ' was so completely duped and puzzled by it for
several days that he was at a loss whether to advance or retreat.' This result,
so flattering to Schuyler's sagacity, was communicated to one of Schuyler's
staff, after Burgoyne's surrender, by an English officer. In justice to Schuyler
let this be noted."- Gen. J. Watts de Peyster.

Amherst 1 at the half-way brook between the present village of Glen's Falls
and Lake George.

Schuyler
was greatly blamed for not defending Fort Edward.2 Ticonderoga had to be evacuated,
without resistance because it was commanded by Sugar-loaf mountain. Fort Edward
was in like manner commanded on all sides. Major General, the Marquis de Chastellux,
who visited it shortly after the surrender, described it as situated in a
basin or valley both as to ground and encircling forests. " Such is Fort
Edward," he writes, " so much spoken of In Europe, although it could
in no time have been able to resist 500 men, with four pieces of cannon."
" The fact is Fort Edward was not a strong position ; " and Kalm
criticised both of these forts justly in 1758-9. " They were the result
of jobs, badly located and badly built, with the design to put money into
some favorite's pockets."

The
Marquis de Chastellux closes his description of his trip to the fort as follows
:

"
I stopped here (Fort Edward) an hour to refresh my horses, and about noon
set off to proceed as far as the cataract (Glen's Falls,) which is eight miles
beyond

1
The Fort Amherst here mentioned, was the fortified camp spoken of on page
92 as being held by the Americans.

2
Mrs. Riedesel joined her husband at Fort Edward. " The following day
passed Ticonderoga, and about noon arrived at Fort George, where we dined
with Col. Anstruther, an exceedingly good and amiable man, who commanded the
62d regiment. In the afternoon we seated ourselves in a calash, and reached
Fort Edward on the same day, which was the 14th of August."- Journal
of Mrs. General Riedesel.

it.
On leaving the valley, and pursuing the road to Lake George, is a tolerable
military position, which was occupied in the war before the last. It is a
sort of intrenched camp, adapted to abatis, guarding the passage from the
woods, and commanding the valley. I had scarcely lost sight of Fort Edward,
before the spectacle of devastation presented itself to my eyes, and continued
to do so as far as the place I stopped at. Peace and industry had conducted
cultivators amidst these ancient forests, men content and happy before the
period of this war. Those who were in Burgoyne's way alone experienced the
horrors of his expedition , but on the last invasion of the savages, the desolation
has spread from Fort Schuyler (or Fort Stanwix) to Fort Edward. I beheld nothing
around me but the remains of conflagrations; a few bricks proof against the
fire, were the only indications of ruined houses , whilst the fences still
entire and cleared out lands, announced that these deplorable habitations
had once been the abode of riches and of happiness.

"
Arrived at the height of the cataract it was necessary for us to quit our
sledges and walk a mile to the bank of the river. The snow was fifteen inches
deep, which rendered this walk rather difficult and obliged us to proceed
in Indian file in order to make a path. Each of us put ourselves alternately
at the head of this little column, as the wild geese relieve each other to
occupy the summit of the angle they form in their flight. But had our march
been still more difficult, the sight of the cataract was an ample recompense.
It is not a sheet of water as at Cohoes. The river confined and interrupted
in its course by different rocks, glides through the midst of them, and precipitating
itself obliquely forms severalcascades. That of Cohoes is more majestic; this,
more terrible. The Mohawk river seems to fall from its own dead weight; that
of the Hudson frets and becomes enraged. It foams and forms whirlpools, and
flies like a serpent making its escape, still continuing its menaces by horrible
hisses.